Amare MVP - Best Game Ever?

by Seth Pollack on Nov 6, 2008 5:11 PM MST

This from the Suns.com blog where they assert that Amare's performance against the Pacers was not only the best all around individual showing for any Sun of all time but that it might be the best in Arizona sports history.

While I am not sure that Amare's destruction of the Pacers beats out Randy Johnson's perfect game, they do make a strong case with this:

Beyond the numbers, Amar’e read the game and responded accordingly. Translation: he provided the Suns what they needed when they needed it. Matt Barnes was on his way back to Phoenix for the impending birth of his baby twins, Shaq was in foul trouble, so Indiana enjoyed an 8-point lead until late in the 3rd quarter despite STAT’s dominance. Then the following sequence unfolded:

Amar’e blocked a Danny Granger shot at one end, then ran the floor and dunked at the other (IND up 6)

After an LB 3 (IND up 3), STAT stole a pass then fed Boris Diaw for a layup (IND up 1 - Timeout Pacers!)

Amar’e feeds LB for another 3 (PHX up 2)

After another steal, Stat feeds Grant Hill for a layup (PHX up 4 - lights out!)

In a span of a minute and a half, Stoudemire had a hand in every possession on both ends of the court in a 12-0 Suns run.

Tweet Comment 6 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

So far so good.

Games like that, make Amare for MVP so far so good.

by CanadianBlazerfan on Nov 6, 2008 7:46 PM MST reply actions

While Amare's

dominance was spectacular, the extreme rarity of Randy Johnson’s perfect game places it on another planet from Amare’s night.

Best game in Suns history? Probably. It was really dominant. But best performance ever? Definitely not.

How about best performance in the state of AZ? RJ’s perfect game was in Atlanta, so maybe this superlative works.

Arizona expatriate in Missouri

by Snakebitten on Nov 6, 2008 11:35 PM MST reply actions

Amare's game was in Indiana

by hcblankscreen on Nov 7, 2008 12:43 AM MST up reply actions

Well, that's what

I get for reading comprehension. I wish I could see this team play…stupid college getting in the way.

Arizona expatriate in Missouri

by Snakebitten on Nov 7, 2008 6:05 PM MST up reply actions

I hope STAT replicates this sorta stats every night

Our main problems with the Spurs have so far been guarding Ginobili and Parker whilst staying honest to their spot-up 3-guys. Nash can’t guard Parker, and Bell, for all his defensive hype and reputation, gets incinerated by Ginobili everytime they square off. The dribble penetration leads to easy points for the others, and gets our bigs in foul trouble. We had rebounding issues when Shaq was not on the floor, but when he was on it he became a pick-and-roll liability, and the Hack-a-Shaq liability. We also had trouble scoring in half-court sets last year, though I think that’ll change this year.

To tell the truth, the Spurs seem more of a fading force and the Hornets and Lakers are a much, much bigger proposition altogether. Parker is emerging as ever-more dominant, but their depth and role players are subpar. Hornets have had our number completely thus far; with Chris Paul raping Nash, their 3pt shooting trumping the zone which the Suns are actually best suited to playing, and the athletic Chandler troubling Shaq. The Lakers have formidable talent and depth.

I hope for a WCF appearance at least; but I daren’t dream big, what with the unparalled parity in the NBA this season compared to the last, when halfway through the season I declared the Celts champs, and midway in the postseason when everyone was hyping the Lakers, I dumped my money on the Celts. For any intelligent, rational fan, the Celtics were the only choice last year. This year is genuinely different. What if Elton Brand works out? What if Iverson works out? That’s questions just for the East alone. And this year, unlike the last, sees our Suns, the Rockets, and the Hornets as real challengers instead of just playoff fodder.

by felixthm on Nov 7, 2008 7:10 AM MST reply actions 1 recs